On Friday, February 3, speculation arose amongst staff and students about our principal, Mr. Mike Trimberger, applying for a position as the superintendent of the Random Lake School District. The rumors proved to be true as Trimberger was officially named superintendent on the following Monday, February 6. As a result, the Sheboygan Area School District began searching for a new principal to oversee South High.

The official job posting, posted on March 7, stated,

“SASD is looking for a dynamic leader that will help all students reach their personal and academic goals,” and lists important job functions of all interested applicants. One of the more outstanding qualities listed was,

“The ability to provide exceptional building leadership to achieve the South High School goals.” These goals mentioned include flexible scheduling, resource rooms (RTI), The Redwing Way, and career pathways. Trimberger agreed with this part of the posting when he stated,

“We’re proud of the changes we’ve made. The next principal has to be able to take the things we’ve done and keep them going, while doing things to continue improving them.” It is no secret that there are bugs in the system when it comes to Flex Mod and attendance through Skyward, but this is a problem that the next principal will have to continue to work toward resolving. As the job posting explained,

“The SASD Board of Education has made a five-year commitment to Flex Mod scheduling.” This ends rumors that with a new principal, South will see the immediate end of Flex Mod. Although some may be saddened by this fact, it shows the importance of our principal being able to overcome obstacles that we face in our unique school.

For students, there are a multitude of important qualities for a leader to have. According to Junior Angela Yang,

“The most important qualities are being able to understand students, offer new opportunities, listen well, and try their best.” The desire for a good relationship between the principal and the student body is increasingly apparent among students. Freshman Mai Kou Lee also stressed this point, explaining,

“The ability to see things from the students’ perspective [is important].” Having good relationships is a key factor in ensuring that we overcome the challenges we face as a school. Without communication and understanding, there will be less overall satisfaction for everyone.

Many staff members have discussed the qualities that they see as being most important in a new principal as well. Mrs. Nancy Moss explained that for the English department, there are a few basic qualities being sought. She stated,

“It is important to have a principal who is well versed in best practice for both curriculum and student interactions. They should be an effective leader and communicator with teachers, students, and parents.” This idea of good communication shows through in the opinion of the math department. Head of the department, Mrs. Gail Boerger, similarly expressed,

“We are looking for a principal who promotes and supports high standards for student learning and encourages students to be responsible for their own learning. Regarding student behavior, we would like the principal to be frequently visible and to show consistent enforcement of the Redwing Way.” The importance of good relations and effective communication is apparent throughout the entire school community. Focusing more on the future of South, head of the Social Studies department, Mr. Pete Peterson, explained,

“The biggest thing we’re concerned about is finding the best candidate for South, someone who fits the things that have led us to have the top high school report card in the city. This includes building on the foundation of the Redwing Way and continuing the school vision of preparing the students for college and their future career.” Many can agree that these are important things to keep in mind in order for South to continue to be successful in the future. Trimberger shared one ultimate goal that he has for the future of South.

“I want our community to understand how special of a school this is,” he stated, “South is on the cusp of being a blue ribbon school, which is something that the entire community could be proud of.” There are 10 blue ribbon schools named in the state based on those that are top performing. This is a truly attainable and positive goal that would make anyone involved proud of what we would be accomplishing as a school. Also hopeful for the future is Freshman Austin Reynoso, who said,

“I hope that we can continue to propel forward into being the greatest school in the universe.”

The interview process will take place in early April. The team set to interview applicants includes representation from several parts of the school community. Included in this team will be selected parents, class officers, and teachers representing their department. Keeping this in mind, it is important for all to understand that their opinions are being represented in this important decision. All application materials for potential candidates are due by 4:00 pm on Thursday, March 23.

“I hope our school accepts our new principal and will move forward,” expressed Senior Zachary Kaffine. While change can be scary for most people, being accepting and open-minded as a result of any decision made will make the transition much easier on everyone and ensure a more successful future for the whole school.